Bangladesh has decided to close its border with India for the next 14 days following a sharp rise in the country's COVID-19 cases and deaths.

A ban on entry from India has been imposed in line with the instructions of the prime minister's office, Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal told Dhaka Tribune on Sunday. On Thursday, a proposal to shut down borders with India was rejected at an inter-ministerial meeting.

Due to massive surge in COVID-19 numbers, India has been witnessing shortage of hospital beds and medical-grade oxygen for past few days.

Several countries around the world including Germany, Iran, UK, Canada, Hong Kong, and the UAE have suspended passenger flights from India.

India's toll from the coronavirus surged past 200,000 on Wednesday, the country's deadliest day yet, as shortages of oxygen, medical supplies and hospital staff compounded a record number of new infections.

The second wave of infections has seen at least 300,000 people test positive each day for the past week, overwhelming healthcare facilities and crematoriums and driving an increasingly urgent international response.

The last 24 hours brought 360,960 new cases for the world's largest single-day total, taking India's tally of infections to nearly 18 million. It was also the deadliest day so far, with 3,293 fatalities taking the toll to 201,187.

Experts believe the official tally vastly underestimates the actual toll in a nation of 1.3 billion, however.